Soon... :D

It's been far too long since I posted on here... this must change... soon! :D

Praying that God will bless you with a wonderful week as you continue to serve Him !and glorify Him with your thoughts, words, and actions

Purifying Gold

A friend of mine found this poem and posted it on her blog. This poem really encouraged me and I was able to use it in my Teapots, Teacups, & Testimonies discipleship group. May "Purifying Gold" minister to your heart and remind you of your Saviour's perfect love for you and of the necessity of trials in the life of a Christian. Though they may cause us temporary pain, trials are the necessary tools that our Master Craftsman uses to refine our character and conform us to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ, turning us into precious gold.

"He sat by the fire with sevenfold heat,

As He watched by the precious ore,

And closer He bent with a searching gaze

As He heated it more and more.

"He knew He had ore that could stand the test,

And He wanted the finest gold

To mould as a crown for the King to wear,

Set with gems with price untold.

"So He laid our gold in the burning fire.

Tho’ we fain would have said to Him, “Nay,”

And He watched the dross that we had not seen,

And it melted and passed away.

"And the gold grew brighter and yet more bright,

But our eyes were so dim with tears,

We saw but the fire—not the Master’s hand,

And questioned it with anxious fears.

"Yet our gold shone out with a richer glow,

As it mirrored a Form above,

That bent o’er the fire, tho’ unseen by us,

With a look of ineffable love.

"Can we think that it pleases His loving heart

To cause us a moment’s pain?

Ah, no! But He saw through the present cross

The bliss of eternal gain.

"So He waited there with a watchful eye,

With a love that is strong and sure,

And His gold did not suffer a bit more heat,

Than was needed to make it pure."

~Unknown~

"Behold, I go forward, but He is not there;

and backward, but I cannot perceive Him:

On the left hand, where He doth work, but I cannot behold Him:

He hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see Him:

But He knoweth the way that I take:

when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as GOLD."

Job 23:8-10

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5, 13, 16, & 18

"Finally, brethren, pray for us,

that the word of the Lord may have free course,

and be glorified, even as it is with you:

And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men:

for all men have not faith.

But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

And we have confidence in the Lord touching you,

that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.

And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God,

and into the patient waiting for Christ.

But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means.

The Lord be with you all.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

The second epistle to the Thessalonians was written from Athens."

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5, 13, 16, 18

Despair... hope... DETERMINATION!

Time is flying by, and the work load is enormous. Only two weeks remain until graduation with three weeks worth of projects still requiring completion. Taking stock of the situation only results in an overwhelming sense of frustrated despair. It's hopeless-- there's no way accomplish everything in time!

Just when my brain is about to overload, and quitting seems like a welcome escape from the stress of the hour, I remember one thing. All of the sudden, although the situation has not changed in the least, a peaceful calm replaces the hopeless despair, and the storm of frustration is turned into a ray of determination. This one thing provides me with the courage to face the mountain of tasks before me and conquer.

The one thing I remembered that altered my outlook is that I have a Sovereign and Omnipotent God Who is in complete control of every situation. He will not fail me! My Heavenly Father knows what I have to accomplish, He knows how much time I have left, and He WILL give me the time that I need to do my best and get everything done!!!


"The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me:
Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever:
forsake not the works of Thine own hands." Psalms 138:8

"I can do all things through Christ
which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13


"He manages perfectly,
day and night,
year in and year out,
the moving of the stars,
the wheeling of the planets,
the staggering coordinator of events.
There is no doubt
that He can manage the timing of my days and weeks." ~ Elizabeth Elliot

SEPAE06 ~ Photography Scavenger Hunt

These are pictures that I took for a scavenger hunt during Advanced EXCEL for one of my assignments. Like most scavenger hunts, this is a very unique assortment of pictures of random items that our leadership thought would be fun. Hope you enjoy them!

1.) STAPLER ~ This useful tool has been a tremendous help in keeping my AE assignments organized. Hoorah for this invention! :)

2.) REFLECTIONS ~ My brother and two of my friends being reflected in a large window at the Milwaukee Brewers stadium. (We got up to stretch our legs during the game, and I decided that this would be a perfect opportunity to take a "reflections" picture of some people who mean a lot to me.)

3.) LEAP ~ Little Campbell, one of the boys that I babysit for, has no fear of heights. Problem! :) He readily agreed to leap off of the footstool so I could take a picture of him while he was airborne.

4.) FEARS ~ One of my major fears is summed up perfectly in this photo: FAILURE! With God as my sufficiency and strength, I can give all of my fears to Him and trust that He is in control and will not let me down.

5.) COFFEE ~ Starbucks... Opening Bell... Saturdays... friends... All of these words remind me of the fun memories that my AE friends and I made while we were in Dallas, TX. I love you girls!!

6.) TIME ~ Without my watch to tell me what time it is, where would I be? LATE-- that's where!!! "Five minutes early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable!"

7.) SQUIRREL ~ "Hey, they said this was the best diner in town. Where is all of the food? Did someone take a day off or did my larger cousins have a party without me?!?" Lol!

8.) WHITE TRASH ~ Random, I know. Don't ask me where the idea for this subject came from! :) Generally, I don't go around taking pictures of trash, but if it is an assignment, that is a while different story. :)

9.) DATE ~ My cell phone scheduler marks a date that will stand out in my memory for years to come, the day that my AE sisters and I walk the isle for graduation, the culmination of our months of hard work! DMC-- here I come!!

10.) POLICE ~ Never underestimate the effectiveness of a Lego Police officer! He may look small, but his heart is large in proportion. As long as the mission has been accomplished, who cares if he is only an inch and a half tall!?! :)

11.) SELF PORTRAIT ~ I have come to believe that self portraits are one of the most frustrating pictures to take! Not only does the face have to be in focus, the subject needs to be smiling, and the photographer (which is one & the same as the subject) has to like the picture!

12.) MAKING A STATEMENT ~ My little brother Levi, making a statement. He is glad to be alive and wants other people to realize the precious value of the human lives that God has created.

.

13.) A MEMORY ~ My first Brewers game!!! The game itself, as far as the baseball goes, was very boring. Our team lost, big time. The evening, however, was turned into a good memory because I had a terrific time with my friends and family! Thank the Lord for Christian fellowship!!!

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What's a princess to do about knights, squires, and pages?

Knights in shining armor, white horses, and beautiful princesses waiting in their fathers’ castles symbolize the dreams of many little girls. They long to someday meet and fall in love with their own Prince Charming and live happily ever after. Until then, with so many knights, squires, and pages coming to and from the castle each day, many opportunities will arise for these princesses to make casual friendships with these young men. As they seek to save their hearts wholly for the handsome prince that God has chosen for them, what convictions should these maturing princesses have to guard themselves and their future?

The convictions that we, as young women, have in the area of casual friendships with guys are vitally important because they will direct the course of our future. As daughters of the King of Kings, our convictions should hold us to the highest standard and should reflect the character of our Heavenly Father. Seeking the Lord’s direction and keeping our thoughts and motives pure in the friendships that we have will enable us to save our hearts for our future husbands and glorify God by our actions.

In Scripture, Timothy is one example of a young person who carefully used the relationships in his life for good. Timothy was a young man with the great responsibility of encouraging and shepherding a growing Christian congregation. As a leader, other people would especially be watching the friendships that he made and the way that he treated those around him. The apostle Paul advised Timothy to “rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.” I Timothy 5:1-2.

The wise fatherly advice that Paul gave to Timothy about relationships applies to us as Christian young ladies as well. Each one of us is a leader, and whether we realize it or not, other people are watching the friends that we hang out with and the way that we act while we are around them. By observing my own friends and the friendships that they have made, I have been better able to make my own convictions about casual friendships with guys.

Personally, I have found that staying in groups and spending time together as families is one of the best ways for me to keep casual friendships casual. Also, as I stay under my parents’ authority, I have the added benefit of their wisdom and guidance. God has designed my parents and my family structure for my protection. Since all of my “guy” friends are friends of the family, I am free to be myself and treat all of them as I would my brothers in Christ.

One note of caution that I would give to my sisters in Christ is that, even with casual guy/girl friendships, one or the other can easily be emotionally hurt if we are not careful. I have seen it happen in the lives of some of my friends, and that emotional wounding is not the best that God would have us experience. Keeping our thoughts, actions, and motives pure will help us to better be able to save ourselves for our future husbands and also will give us a clear conscience in case others’ feelings are hurt in the process.

Remember that whatever convictions you choose to adopt as your own in the area of casual friendships with guys should be based on being beyond reproach, so that a stumbling block is not put in another’s way.[1] As you prayerfully consider what convictions you need to make, ask your parents for their counsel and take time to evaluate your heart to make sure it is right before the Lord. Then, be a princess whose testimony is a beautiful reflection of the character of her omniscient Sovereign and glorify Him with all that you do.

[1] See Romans 14:13, 1 Corinthians 8:9, 1 Thessalonians 4:6, and Philippians 2:15.

"Less Of Me"

The message of this song is so important! May we all be reminded to think less about our self and more about those whom the Lord has brought into our lives!

"Less Of Me" by Glen Campbell

Let me be a little kinder,

Let me be a little blinder,

To the faults of those around me—

Let me praise a little more.

Let me be, when I am weary,

Just a little bit more cheery!

Think a little more of others

And a little less of me.

Let me be a little braver

When temptation bids me waiver,

Let me strive a little harder

To be all that I should be.

Let me be a little meeker

With a brother who is weaker.

Think a little more of others

And a little less of me.

Let me be, when I am weary,

Just a little bit more cheery.

Let me serve a little better

Those that I am striving for.

Let me be a little meeker

With the brother who is weaker,

Think a little more of others

And a little less of me.

Happy, oh, happy!!

In my opinion, Mondays call for a "happy list"! No mater what day of the week it is, no matter how the day is going, there is always something that we can find to be grateful for. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says,

"In every thing give thanks:

for this is the will of God

in Christ Jesus concerning you."

I am going to go through the alphabet to make a list of twenty-six things that I am thankful for and that make me happy. I hope that you will enjoy the list and that some of them will make you happy, too!

A ~ Advanced EXCEL and all of the memories that my friends and I have made and will make together

B ~Blueberry cheesecake, especially the way that my grandma makes it (and just cheese cake in general)

C ~ COFFEE, especially Starbucks, with tons of creamer and sugar!

D ~ Dove Dark CHOCOLATE (or any kind of chocolate for that matter)

E ~ Espresso- in my coffee of course :)

F ~ Frappachino! Sorry, my mind is on coffee this evening! :)

G ~ Going on trips with my family- the "where" does not matter so much as "with whom"

H ~ Helping my mother with stuff around the house, with meal preparation, etc.

I ~ Investing in the lives of others. You never can tell what sort of a difference a little smile or a kind deed will do in someone else's life.

J ~ Just being with my dear friends

K ~ Keeping things organized and clean :)

L ~ Lattes, especially mocha or vanilla ones

M ~ Making others time more profitable and helping them to succeed by giving of my time and myself. I have yet to find something more rewarding! :)

N ~ New days to enjoy all of the treasures that God is bringing in them

O ~ One hour dates with the Love of my life Who gave Himself because I was so precious to Him. Oh, how I love Him! Let me count the ways...

P ~ Pies of all kinds, especially apple, pumpkin, strawberry, and lemon marange (and caramel marange, too!)

Q ~ Quiet days with little to do and lots of time to enjoy doing it!

R ~ Resting safely in my Saviors love

S ~ Spending time with special younger brothers

T ~ Teaching Children's Institute!!! I think I left half of my heart with the four through seven year olds... :)

U ~ Understanding, like-minded Christian friends who will listen, love, encourage, and admonish and know when and how to do each one

V ~ Victoriously productive days, thanks to God's Almighty hand of blessing!

W ~ Watching the way God works everything out for my good! Even when things look like a complete mess, I love knowing that my Heavenly Father has a plan and will do the impossible in and through my life as I trust His sufficiency!!

X ~ X-ing signs that I pass by when I am out on a walk with my family or friends

Y ~ Yummy meals with friends, family, food, and fellowship (four of my favorite F's by the way)

Z ~ Zpending (or should I say spending) time with my dear daddy!!

"Happy, oh, happy! Happy in the Lord!!!"

Communicating Convictions

As Christians, the convictions that we adopt as our own are very important because they will shape the course of our future. How do we effectively communicate these convictions with others without being judgemental or offending them? How can we live out our convictions while showing deference to others, without being in fear of man? As I thought about this topic, I decided to use an example of a time when I was in situation where I needed to live out the convictions that the Lord had laid upon my heart to share with you ways that I have found helpful in enabling me to honor God while remaining in harmony with others.

A large group of us were going to Six Flags Great America for a fun day of recreation. It was the week of our anticipated trip, and we had a few last minute details to finalize. “So we can look like a group, without being completely matching, we are all going to be wearing plaid shorts and solid shirts,” my friends informed me. Unintentionally, my friends had put me into a quandary.

Looking like a group was a great idea, but there was one problem – I don’t wear shorts. It’s not that wearing shorts is a sin, but simply that wearing them would violate my personal convictions. I wanted to fit in. How do I show deference to others and live out my convictions at the same time, without worrying about what people may think of me?

After re-evaluating my convictions based on God’s Word and what He has taught me personally, I was reminded that Christ is the only one that I should be comparing myself to. He is the balance that I am required to measure up to. When my convictions are consistent with Christ’s character, my confidence comes from Him, and I have the courage that I need, to do what is right, even if it is unpopular.

When it comes to living out my convictions, my attitude is extremely important. Because people are very sensitive to attitudes, sincerity is a powerful key to living peacefully with others. If I am acting out of fear, then I am being a poor witness for Christ and damaging His reputation. If my heart attitude is prideful, then people who sense my critical spirit will be offended and may react harshly. By making sure that my motives are pure and that my attitude is one of humility, I am able to make decisions based on what I believe while promoting harmony with those whose standards are different from my own.

When my convictions are Biblically based and my attitude is correct, then I can look for a way to make a compromise— not of my convictions, but of the way that I choose to carry them out. To solve my clothing dilemma for our trip to Great America, I wore a plaid skirt, instead of plaid shorts. My friends and I were able to achieve the uniform appearance that we wanted, and, at the same time, I was able to honor my convictions.

We had a wonderful day at Great America and made a lot of terrific memories. Because of the decision that I made, peace and harmony were maintained, no one was offended, and my friends respected me for living by what I believed. Our time there was made even more enjoyable because I chose to show deference to my friends, while living out my convictions in a way that pleased my Heavenly Father.

The next time that you find yourself in a situation where one of your convictions is different from someone else’s, try doing these three things. First, evaluate your conviction to make sure it is firmly grounded in God’s Word. Secondly, check your attitude to make sure it is glorifying to God. Finally, look for a way to make a compromise that will promote harmony and encourage others to do what they know is right.

What kind of bridges are you building?

Last week, I read Leadership Gold: Lessons I've Learned from a Lifetime of Leading by John C. Maxwell. It was a very good book on leadership and I learned a lot from it. At the very end of the book, Mr. Maxwell included a poem by a Tennessee poet named Will Allen Dromgoole. The poem, entitled "The Bridge Builder" made an impression on me and I would like to share it with you.

“The Bridge Builder”
An old man, going a lone highway,
Came at the evening, cold and gray,
To chasm, vast and deep and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned when safe on the other side
And built a bridge to span the tide.

“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near,
“You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way;
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide—
Why build you a bridge at the eventide?”

The builder lifted his old gray head:
“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,
“There followeth after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm that has been naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pit-fall be,
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him.”

Each one of us is building a bridge for those who will follow us. What kind of bridge are we building? Will it be sturdy enough to withstand the test of time? Will it be safe enough that even the feeblest child can cross it?

With Christ as our sure foundation, let's do our best with the resources that we have been given so that the bridges we build for those who are following in our footsteps will withstand the tests that are placed upon them. (See 1 Corinthians 3:10-15).

He Keeps Me Singing!

Written by Luther B. Bridges, the hymn "He Keeps Me Singing" has been a blessing to me. As the joy of the Lord is my strength, God's song fills my heart and I am able to sing His praises. My Savior truly does keep me singing! May God be your strength and give you a song to encourage your heart as you continue to live for His glory!

There’s within my heart a melody
Jesus whispers sweet and low,
“Fear not, I am with thee, peace, be still,”
In all of life’s ebb and flow.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus—
Sweetest Name I know,
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.

All my life was wrecked by sin and strife,
Discord filled my heart with pain;
Jesus swept across the broken strings,
Stirred the slumbering chords again.

Feasting on the riches of His grace,
Resting ’neath His sheltering wing,
Always looking on His smiling face—
That is why I shout and sing.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus—
Sweetest Name I know,
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.

Though sometimes He leads through waters deep,
Trials fall across the way,
Though sometimes the path seems rough and steep,
See His footprints all the way.

Soon He’s coming back to welcome me
Far beyond the starry sky;
I shall wing my flight to worlds unknown,
I shall reign with Him on high.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus—
Sweetest Name I know,
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.

Miserable Mondays to Manageable Mondays

I don't know about you, but Mondays are almost always a difficult day for me. During the week everything looks manageable and, on the weekends, I subconsciously manage to tuck my “to do” list away and forget about it. Then, Monday shows up, and down crumbles my optimistic attitude and my sense of control.

Stretching from desk to ceiling in an unending pile, papers wait, calling for my attention. The longer I stare at the mountainous stack, the more intimidating it becomes. Growing with each passing second, first paper by paper, then chunk by chunk, the work load increases in size faster than I can complete it. There is too much to do, and the harder I try to get everything done, the more I find still unfinished. In panic, I frantically try to fix all of the problems at the same time, only succeeding in setting myself up for frustration and defeat.

My focus is on myself, my problem, and my incapability. As long as my point of reference is myself, I am going to end up being discouraged. In despair, I will continue to try to change myself and to do everything in my own strength.

This hopeless process is not what God intended for me. God wants Christ to be my point of reference. When I truly realize that I have died to myself and that Christ, living in me, accomplishes everything for me, then I can tackle the tasks that I am called to do because it is not I, but really Christ working through me, as me.

When Christ is my point of reference, somehow the pile on my desk doesn’t look so overwhelming. I can take the projects one at a time, and He will work through me, as me, to get each job done. Since my focus is on God, I am free to trust Him. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and He will be sufficient in and through each aspect of my life.

I hope this has been a blessing to any of you who, like me, want to enjoy each day that God blesses us with, but have a hard time keeping our focus on Christ and His sufficiency when Monday morning shows up. With His grace, we can say, "Mondays — here I come!"

My Teapot’s Testimony

Etched with purple violets, a lovely teapot sits on a shelf in my room, waiting for the day when it will be filled with sweet, refreshing tea. Even though it cannot talk, my teapot is an example of my life in Christ. Beautiful in shape and design, it testifies of the pleasure of a life dedicated to my Lord’s service.

Specially crafted by expert hands, my little teapot is a tribute to its artist’s creativity. By being content with its design, it fulfills the special purpose which it was created for and does the job that no coffee pot, milk jug, or glass pitcher could do. In the same way, I have been beautifully designed by the most skillful Master Craftsman, my Heavenly Father. He has given me a purpose that only I can fulfill. As I continue to allow Him to make me into a vessel of honor, I am free to be content with how He made me and bring glory to His name.

Empty and alone, my teapot’s only value comes from its appearance which, although pleasing to the eye, eventually looses its appeal. When filled with tea, however, it brings joy to our taste buds and a warm, homey feeling that chases away weariness and sorrow. Similarly, when the abundance of God’s love fills me, life has purpose and meaning. In joyful obedience, I can sing of His praise and be a channel through which He pours out His blessing to others.

The once hot pot of tea sits cooled and unwanted on a trivet. Its delicious refreshment has lost the fervor and appeal that it had only a few short hours before. The only way to restore the tea to its original state is to place the pot back on the extreme heat of the stove burner. Like the teapot, the only way that I am able to be a continual blessing to God and to those around me is by remaining close to the Ultimate Source of my abundant life. As I patiently endure in the furnace of life’s challenges, my Creator purifies and restores me until the sweetness of His character bubbles forth.

My teapot and I have so much in common. The analogies are limitless. As I return home, my floral teapot will be a continual reminder to me of the many facets of my Christian life and the fulfillment that comes from living a life freely poured out for God’s glory.